| After 15 years of building one of the most iconic business conferences, INBOUND is evolving into UNBOUND - Cool. | But you probably want to know who is actually gonna be there: | | Yep, we’ll be there, pretending we understand American Football for Tom’s sake. Wanna join us?
Get 10% off your UNBOUND tickets with code: GEM-MIND10 → | What’s in store: | OpenAI is lifting SoftBank, but analysts are watching the tab. Woodworking is getting a tech glow-up. Mindstream Picks: Sony just upgraded its wearable air conditioner. Get 60 Claude hacks from us!
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| | | OPENAI | | | SoftBank is expected to report a strong quarterly profit this week, helped by its growing investment in OpenAI. | Analysts expect the Japanese tech investor to post a net profit of around 236 billion yen, or $1.5 billion, for the January to March quarter. | A big reason is OpenAI’s rising valuation, which reportedly reached $840 billion after its latest funding round. | TD Cowen estimates SoftBank’s 11% stake in OpenAI was worth about $80 billion at the end of March, up from $54.4 billion at the end of December. | SoftBank is also expected to invest another $30 billion in OpenAI in 2026. | If OpenAI goes public in late 2026 or early 2027, that could bring further gains. | But analysts are now asking how much more SoftBank can afford. | The main points: | SoftBank’s OpenAI stake has grown sharply in value. Analysts are worried about the debt needed to keep funding it. Investors are still backing SoftBank’s AI strategy, at least for now.
| Debt is now part of the story | The company has been borrowing more to fund its AI plans. In March, it secured a $40 billion bridge loan for its OpenAI investment. | S&P Global Ratings also changed SoftBank’s credit outlook to negative, warning that its financial flexibility could weaken. | There are also concerns about how much of SoftBank’s future is now tied to one private company. | Some analysts have compared the risk to WeWork, another major SoftBank-backed company that later collapsed. | Still, investors seem confident for now. SoftBank’s shares have nearly doubled since the start of April and are close to their record high. | That balance sheet is SWEATING.- MG | Is SoftBank’s OpenAI bet a smart long-term play or too much risk in one basket? | | Vote for live results and see results + opinions from yesterday at the bottom of the email. |
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| | | AI CHEAT CODES | | | Extraordinary in-the-weeds professionals love to cheat with Claude. | Sure, it has its limitations, but it’s capable of making you efficient in many little ways. Try this pack of 60+ Claude hacks spanning content, coding, strategy, app-building, dashboard creation, and more. | Get instant access to: | Prompt engineering tactics that generate pristine copy Workflow automation hacks that save 15+ hours weekly Strategic frameworks for 10x better marketing outputs
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| | A man attends his mother's funeral. There, he meets a woman he has never seen before and feels he has known her his whole life. He doesn't get her name or number. A week later, he kills his own brother. Why? | Find the answer at the bottom of the email! |
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| | Definitely my private tutor and daily morning coach / therapist. It is the upper when I need some humpf! And the wise man when I need some grounding! Basically just a digital extension pack add-on to my real bestie:) | | | | Hugo, London |
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| Tell us how you’re using AI! → |
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| | | AI TECH | | | Woodworking is an old craft, but modern workshops are becoming safer, cleaner and more digital. | A big change is dust control. Better filters and extraction systems are helping protect workers’ lungs, with some workshops now almost dust-free. | That inspired BlastGate.com, a company that makes dust extraction switch on only when needed, helping businesses cut waste and save money. | Safety tech is improving, too. | SawStop table saws can detect skin and stop the blade within milliseconds, reducing the risk of serious injury. | Altendorf’s Hand Guard system uses cameras and AI to spot when a hand gets too close to the blade. | In brief: | Dust systems are making workshops cleaner and safer. AI and sensors are helping reduce tool injuries. Digital tools are useful, but human skill still matters.
| No more dust problem | Digital tools are also becoming more common. | CNC routers, laser cutters and 3D printers are making design and cutting easier, while AI is helping with research, planning and materials. | Some companies are taking this further. | UK-based Automated Architecture has built a robot-powered “microfactory” that can be shipped to building sites and produce timber panels for a typical home in one day. | Still, not every woodworker wants everything to go digital. For many, the future is a mix of smarter tools, safer workshops and hands-on skill. | Woodworking class just turned into IT. - MV |
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| | Recommended Listening: Every Tuesday, Semafor Business Editor Liz Hoffman and reporter Rohan Goswami cut through the noise with candid, in-depth conversations with the founders, CEOs, and power players behind some of the world’s most influential companies. Become a Compound Interest subscriber now. | Space: Cowboy Space has raised $275 million to launch solar-powered AI data centers into orbit using a rocket that doubles as the infrastructure.
Business: UK borrowing costs hit a near 30-year high as political uncertainty pressures markets and weakens investor confidence.
Music: Eric Clapton cut a Madrid concert short after being struck by an object thrown from the crowd, leaving before his encore. | Don’t Miss: Sony has launched an upgraded version of its wearable air conditioner, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus, with improved cooling performance and a more discreet design for everyday wear. The device uses a chilled plate against the skin and now offers better temperature control and comfort. |
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| | Image of the Day |  | Artwork submitted by Mindstream reader 우동진: “Minimalist food photography of a deconstructed sandwich mid-air” |
| Daily Image Prompt | | Submit your artwork to Mindstream → |
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| | “Would you trust an AI voice agent to handle a customer service issue?” | Yes, if it fixes the problem faster - 54% ✅ | No, I need a human before I start bargaining with a speaker - 46% | Your Views: | “There's no reason to keep humans involved in first-level support service; it works for text and is most likely to work for speakers.” - edward | “In my experience, AI can't handle more nuanced questions. Nor do I trust AI to have the human experience to answer a question correctly.” - lizalfo | “It would be good if they picked up the metaphorical phone quicker and without any of the annoying warnings about recording for training purposes etc” - amgmig | Submit your opinions in our polls to be featured! |
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| Riddle Me This Answer: He expects the mystery woman to come to his brother’s funeral! | #1078
Mittwoch, everyone. |  | | | |
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